The present invention pertains to apparatus for collecting and utilizing solar energy for the purpose of both heating and cooling.
Prior solar collector units have been characterized by two principal shortcomings: (1) Those units that are stationary require large, flat panels oriented generally toward the south and mounted at an angle such that their surfaces face toward the sun's average position at mid-day; and (2) Those units that revolve to follow the sun's movement are expensive, complicated, and subject to failure. The flat panels of the stationary units must be quite large in area in order to capture enough solar energy in the mornings and afternoons, when the sun is off to the east or west, and as a matter of fact, relatively little solar energy is captured during the early morning or late afternoon hours. The large area of panels is frequently unsightly, and it is sometimes difficult or impossible to find a location where the properly-oriented panels can be mounted.